"Underoos! You've come back!" Tony exclaims when his favourite - only- intern walks through the elevator doors. "I was afraid I had scared you off, or you had changed your mind," he jokes as he helps Peter with his bags. He may, or may not be excited for this sleepover if not more.

"May said it'll be good for me," he shrugged nervously. "I've never had a sleepover that hasn't been to my house." Peter fidgeted.

"Really?" the mentor states in shock.

Sure he's never had a sleepover, but only because everyone around him was many years older. Whether physically or mentally, it didn't matter.

Peter? Sweet, innocent and fun Peter? He had to have been invited to tons of them over the years. Apparently not.

Maybe they're more alike than he first thought.

"Well, let this be the best yet." Tony smiled, ruffling the boy's windblown hair.

~

The boys started off in the lab, -none too surprising there - tinkering and doing the usual inventing as a day in the tower would entitle. Everything going smoothly and not out of the ordinary, that is till Peter becomes lost in his thoughts, only coming back to himself when the elevator door dings. Signifying there's a new person in the room.

"Tony, how many times do I have to remind you that this paperwork needs to be filed!" Virginia Pepper Potts is standing less than one hundred feet away from Peter. In clumsiness, the boy drops the screwdriver he was using. It landing on his foot before rolling onto the floor, thankful for the Converse shoes he wore. It softened the hit.

Peters hands instantly shook nervously, terrified he would be shouted at for being clumsy. Back home, he is at least shouted at once every day or even more. Mason not understanding it is on accident, not meaning to do it on purpose.

Dropping or breaking something, you could say is a habit of his. Though it came with being who he is, especially when he's a nervous wreck.

He wouldn't lie to himself that he isn't clumsy, it's just there are such things as accidents. And to Mason, nothing is ever deemed as such. Apparently, it's all done on purpose to annoy him.

Pepper gasped, hearing the sound and striding over. Shoving the papers to Tony's chest in her rush to get to the small, innocent boy. Tutting as she bent down to pick up the dropped tool. Never standing back up fully, as she is tall with heels on. The boy in front of her is so small and cute, she didn't want to feel like she intimidated him.

Motherly instincts had hit her. Broody for children of her own, only to be too busy for that sort of step. The woman couldn't help but to baby Peter, there is something within the boy's demeanour that screamed out he's a little. Of course, Pepper couldn't help but to rush over and check the boy is alright. No matter if Mr Stark rolled his eyes or tutted at his hopefully - soon - to - be - wife - Pepper still went ahead.

"You must be more careful, Sweetheart." The woman set the tool down on the work desk, a gentle smile pulling at her thin lips. Turning to the man, her eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "Tony are you even watching him?" she barks to her boyfriend. Used to the man being inattentive and completely oblivious to safety measures, that should be taken more seriously as there's a child to consider now.

"Of course I'm watching. Although he isn't two. Peter is smart and knows what he's doing," Tony calmly explains, while giving the blushing boy a wink. "Well it's time for dinner anyhow, and I still need these documents signed and filed away."

Without much thought, Pepper rises back up to stand. Grabbing hold one of Peter's small hands automatically, before leading the way to the penthouse.

Tony sighed and shook his head, watching as his girlfriend - or rather fiancé- walked away with his intern. Looking at the papers shoved to his chest, he sighed again. This time, in a more tired and ', do I really' kind of way.

He knows with the business he is running, there's a fun part and a boring side to it. He'd much rather tinker about with new gadgets than to file and finish the paperwork. That's effort.

Setting the papers down on the desk, he turned the lights off in the lab and followed the duo ahead of him to the penthouse. His own stomach making noises of hunger, if he's hungry then he didn't want to know how hungry the boy must be.

Silently, Tony follows the chattering pair with a graceful smile.

It reminds him of when he first met Peter. How shy he was, - still is - but at the same time eager to answer any questions. Quick into rambling about pretty much anything concerning any sort of science, or nerd type topics.

Pepper listens intently, as the young boy rattles on about his latest project with Mr Stark. The man interjecting here and there, as to remind his intern how he should use more familiar terms. She finds it absolutely adorable that her boss and fiancé has connected so well with a Little. With the brown-haired boy's age, it's clear he's newly classified and isn't hard to deduce.

He's small for his age, very excitable and hyper. If Tony's stories are anything to go by.

"Pizza for dinner?"

"I ordered a Chinese, actually. It should be delivered and waiting. Do you like Chinese, Petey?" the woman uses a sweet nickname to address the child, who only nods while swaying on his feet.

The CEO wanting nothing more, than to pick him up and cuddle him on her hip. Though she settles with a firm grip of his hand, steering him out of the elevator once the doors open to a room Peter has yet not been in.

Just as she had informed Tony, several bags of food are sitting on the dining table. Each holding a tub of hot food, raging from noodles and rice. To weird curries with vegetables and stir-fries.

Once plates had been made up -Peters being a smaller portion than the rest - the group digs in. Although Peter is a little less enthusiastic.

He likes Chinese food, but Mary doesn't order this. Knowing he's a little fussy when it came to vegetables and certain foods. Mason hated it, not getting how everyone has a different food pallet and likes different things.

There are too many vegetables. Peter concluded that much, the horrible offending food staring at him. If they had faces, he's sure they would be sat there with their tongues sticking out. Chanting the whole 'Naa, na, na, na, naa. You can't eat me!' Which is true, as they are disgusting vile things. He refused to eat them, and instead rather stab them with the fork prongs until there's nothing left. Leaving behind a vegetable crime scene.

Peter picks out the noodles and beef chunks but doesn't touch anything else. Something that doesn't go unnoticed by the adults.

"Peter, you have to eat the vegetables as well," Pepper informs him. Her tone soft and gentle, not being at all reprimanding.

Before Peter could make up some lame excuse about being too full, Tony decides to pipe up. Probably seeing how the young charge was about to make up excuses.

"She's right, Bud." The man stated, pointing his knife to the boys hardly eaten plate. "Need to eat your vegetables or at least some. Then we can call it fairs." Tony shrugged. Shoving his own mouthful of meat and veg into his mouth, chewing his food as he watched Pepper take Peters fork from his hand and sliding the boys portioned food in half.

Peter watched the nice lady mess with his food, kind of dreading what is to come next. If he had it his way, he wouldn't be eating anything apart from the noodles and the meat. However, he had a feeling he isn't going to get away with it here.

"There we go, now eat up. I want to see that half of your plate clean," Pepper states. Setting back in her seat, picking up her own utensils and eating her portion. Keeping an eye on the small boy, which with the amount of fidgeting and moving around he is doing. She is sure he should be fastened into a highchair.

"You know, he would have eaten it. I know vegetables are monsters, but some are nice. You don't have to treat him like a two-year-old, even if he were to be a little. He isn't ours to look after," Tony stated, thinking he's just making the boy feel less babied. Knowing his fiancé can be a little overbearing at times.

When really, he may have slightly hurt Peter in his wording.

To Peter, it felt like Tony didn't want a little hanging around. Little's can be annoying, he knows that. Mason knows it too.

But having his employer think it, and technically say it out loud. It hurt.

If only he knew Tony didn't mean for it to come out as it did.